This past Saturday night, despite the streets choked with snow and the unfriendly cold, El Le Faunt, along with The Mad Ripple and Felonious Bosch, put on a fantastic set at the 501 Club.
The Mad Ripple opened the show - they played a great Minneapolis rock set, reminiscent of the Jayhawks with just a smidge of the Hold Steady. I'm generally inclined to like any group with a violin, but these guys are really good - and you could tell they were having a fantastic time on stage. The band's covers of Lucinda Williams and Sparklehorse were well-received, but my favorite track was "Ballad of the Tin Star Sisters," about NE Minneapolis.
After that, Felonious Bosch took the stage, celebrating the release of their new album, Toybox, which they played front to back. There are an absolutely daunting number of instruments on the stage, but every member of the band plays astoundingly well - I went from being impressed by the gentleman playing the wind instruments to the drummer to the violinist and back. They seemed to come into their own towards the end, when the folk roots of their music really became clear - but still funky. And I imagine it must be difficult to make folk music funky.
It was El Le Faunt and his Traveling Circus that finally shook the cold & snow off the audience. Thomas Maddux, the lead singer, called everyone out in front of the stage (many by name, indicating that this band has quite the local following). The group had been described to me as eerie carnival rock music, with Tom Waits-style vocals. I was, to say the least, very, very interested and hopeful.
That description is spot on, but leaves out the energy that this group has. Maddux quickly takes center stage, but it isn't long before you start watching the band as a whole. The back up vocals are haunting, particularly during "My Russian Love." The entire band knows every word to every song - you see them singing along throughout, even if they don't have a mic. The percussionist, Cody Fitzpatrick, was particularly spectacular to watch. I've never seen a drummer perform while standing, but Fitzpatrick's clear talent and enthusiasm left me wondering why more don't.
The set ended too quickly and left me wishing for the more traditional concert format that included an encore. If you get a chance to see these guys - go. (By the by, they are playing (for free!) tonight, Thursday December 9th at the Nomad). Buy their CDs, request their music on the radio. They really are that good.
I, for one, am relieved - there's been a hole in my local music heart ever since Spaghetti Western String Co's farewell show, but I think it might have just been filled.
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